Help pick a light!

[bcarl77]

Currently debating lighting for a waterbox 130.4. Tank is 4ft long, 20ish in deep and 2 feet wide. Will be moslty LPS and softies, might throw a few sticks on top though, nothing to crazy.

Would you go with 2 hydra 26hds or 2 Radion G4 XR15pros? Will these options be enough light?

 

[jda]

Those lights are pretty much equivalent. There are some differences that the fanboys might point out, but for performance, they are going to be pretty even in the end.

Both will shadow as you get colonies. Both are low/medium powered lights, which should work well for the LPS and softies and you can probably handle some sticks directly under the pucks up high.

 

[E.intheC]

I don’t think either of those will be sufficient light for that sized tank. Unless you have 2 small islands of coral.

 

[bcarl77]

I don’t think either of those will be sufficient light for that sized tank. Unless you have 2 small islands of coral.

Why do you say that? Each light is rated for 24X24in?

 

[E.intheC]

For a fish only or very light coral load it might work. I don’t trust manufacturer recommendations for LEDs at all, and I’ve seen people recommend 4x xr30s for a 90 gallon Sps tank.

I have an xr30 on my current tank (Elos Midi) and I think an xr15 would also work for that application, provided I wasn’t trying to have a wall-to -wall coral tank. I used to have a 90 gallon but sold it recently. I would not use 2x xr15s on that size tank, unless the lighting demands were very low.

To contradict myself though . You could always buy the xr15s and add more as necessary. They’re great lights when used properly.